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Community News

Library funding cutbacks spark protests from campaigners

Campaigners made their feelings
known following a controversial
decision by Swindon Borough
Council to axe funding for 10 of the
borough’s 15 libraries.
Members of Save Swindon’s
Libraries, Save Highworth Library
and users of Old Town Library held
a day of action over plans which
will see all libraries, except Central,
reduce their staffing hours to 15
hours.
The council’s library strategy
aims to save £1.1 million from the
current budget of £2.6million. It
is likely that 40 full and part time Campaigners gathered at Old Town Library and in Highworth Market Square to protest
staff may lose their jobs following a scrutiny committee after members sure that the dreadful mistake of we have been able to increase
60 per cent reduction in hours. voted by seven votes to six to allow closing Park Library would not come the core provision to include Park
At Old Town, library users and the proposals go ahead. to fruition. A large number of staff Library. Discussions are already well
supporters launched a Read In event Under the new proposals, a core will lose their jobs: the staff are the underway to secure community
where they ate mince pies and read provision of five libraries will be lifeblood of the library service and led library provision at Wroughton,
books together to demonstrate the funded – Central, North Swindon, the reduction in their hours will Covingham and Upper Stratton.
value of the library, and to show West Swindon, Highworth and have a profound impact on how We could be looking at retaining
their support to the staff. Parks. Parks library was added to library users access services.” a great deal of Swindon’s existing
And in Highworth, protesters the list following a two-month She added: “There remain many library provision.”
gathered in the town’s Market consultation period in which 1,632 unanswered questions for core and The libraries proposal purports to
Square before spending the responses were received. non-core libraries, particularly over be a strategy to take the service
morning in a Read In event at Save Swindon’s Libraries chair, the economic sustainability of the through to 2020.
Highworth Library while the Friends Sarah Church, said: “We commend plan and the substantial risk to the Some of the additional library
of Highworth Library held a coffee the councillors and campaigners service if adequate income is not provision could be met by
and mince pie fundraising morning. from the Parks, and residents from generated.” community solutions, with a
The library strategy was only across Swindon, who spoke up Cllr Mary Martin, Cabinet Member £500,000 transitional fund being
narrowly agreed by the council’s during the consultation to make for Communities, said: “I’m pleased set aside to support this.

Estate agents support the homeless

Staff from Ashcox & Stone: Fiona Cox, Bonnie Ash, Tom Hambidge, Lee Haynes
and Neil Bainbridge, who raised funds for Swindon Night Shelter
Homeless people in Swindon have work for many vulnerable people.”
been supported by the fundraising Sales negotiator Lee Haynes,
efforts of estate and lettings agent who helped run the stall, said:
Ashcox & Stone. “Volunteers from the Night Shelter
The team collected £500 for joined us at the event to tell people
Swindon Night Shelter project with about the work which goes on,
a tombola and prize draw stall largely unseen, to help the town’s
at the Old Town Christmas Lights homeless.”
Switch-on event. Prizes included a round of golf
The Night Shelter operates every at Broome Manor Golf Course,
Friday night from 9pm – 8am at St cinema tickets at Cineworld and a
Mary’s church hall, Cheney Manor free month’s gym membership and
Rd. Guests are offered a hot meal, a personal training session at the
chance to shower, wash clothes and Nuffield Health Gym at Greenbridge.
a bed for the night. Ashcox & Stone, based at
Sales and lettings manager Fiona Marlborough Road, Old Town, rent
Cox said: “We wanted to support and sell property in the Swindon 01793 269000
a local charity and we all felt the area. [email protected]
Swindon Night Shelter does great Visit www.ashcoxandstone.co.uk Marlborough Road, Swindon
swindonlink.com n January 2017 7

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